While LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard find themselves at two different points of their careers, they will always be linked in some way.
As Lillard prepares to pass Aldridge for second on the all-time list for leading scorers in Blazers franchise history, the two were also given an opportunity to reconnect over All-Star weekend. In fact, the pair even talked about a potential reunion in the future.
“You never know,” Aldridge told The Athletic’s Jason Quick. “But of course, if we had a better relationship, it changes the whole outlook of how it went. It’s sad that not talking like we do now could have changed history. But everything happens for a reason. He has flourished in that role, and I keep telling him I’m going to come back and finish there. That’s something him and I have talked about — playing together again.”
Of course, Aldridge is referring to his free agency decision back in the summer of 2015 where he opted to join the San Antonio Spurs. His decision was reportedly made in large part to Lillard’s blossoming success and his ability to serve as a team’s primary option, a title Aldridge wanted to hold in Portland.
Now however it appears both men have moved past that decision and may be interested in reuniting down the road. “We were more connected than anybody else at All-Star weekend,” Lillard told the Athletic. “Over the course of that weekend, we interacted on a genuine level. It was cool for us.”
“Once we aired it out and realized it we never had an issue, it made it easy for us to reconnect,” Aldridge said. “It felt effortless to be around each other, so we were talking in locker room, joking about us in the pick-and-roll, and doing it again one day.”
Of course, Aldridge just signed a contract extension with the Spurs two seasons ago so his free agency remains a ways away. Perhaps Portland could find a way to swing a trade for the veteran big man but that remains to be seen.
Aldridge’s departure left a gaping hole in Portland’s lineup and though Jusuf Nurkic has become a serviceable big man, adding someone of Aldridge’s caliber could immediately transform the roster into a true championship contender.
